Police foil bank raiders who used a mechanical arm to rip cash machine from wall

Police foiled a robbery after a lorry with a mechanical arm was used to rip a cash machine from a branch of Barclays Bank in North-West London

Flying squad detectives foiled a robbery today after a lorry with a mechanical arm was used to rip a cash machine from a bank wall.

A gang of thieves used the grab-arm to hoist the Barclays Bank ATM onto the back of their vehicle in the daring 3am raid.

Police gave chase as the lorry drove away from the branch in Golders Green, North London, but the driver refused to stop and rammed a number of police vehicles during a four-mile pursuit.

The lorry was eventually stopped in the Walthamstow area of East London where the 39-year-old driver, who sustained minor injuries in one of the collisions, was arrested and taken to hospital.

Two officers were also taken to hospital after suffering minor shoulder injuries when their vehicle was hit.

Meanwhile police at the bank arrested a 37-year-old man and a 31-year-old man who were parked nearby in a white transit van. The 37-year-old was taken to hospital after suffering a minor injury during his arrest.

Detective Chief Inspector Harry Hennigan, of the Flying Squad at Finchley, said: 'We are delighted with the successful conclusion of this operation which has led to three arrests and the recovery of the ATM.

'It illustrates that anybody involved in thefts such as this will be targeted and arrested by the Flying Squad.'